This invention relates to vehicle body panels that crumple in a predisposed manner when impacted.
Body panels are used on vehicles to define the structure of the vehicle and create the design lines of the vehicle. Vehicle body panels also offer, to some extent, protection for the machinery under the hood and the occupants inside.
Currently, vehicle body panels are typically made from metallic panels. There are several disadvantages to using these known metallic panels. One disadvantage is that metallic panels can be harmful to pedestrians if there is a collision between a pedestrian and a vehicle. Another disadvantage of metallic panels is that they require painting. Further, metallic panels are expensive to manufacture.
Therefore, there is a need for a vehicle body panel that is less expensive to manufacture, does not require painting, and that is structurally sound yet crumples in a predetermined fashion to reduce the risk to a pedestrian in the case of an accident.